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For those who watched Season 1, this is "a much anticipated event." While Brit critics were a bit hard on the writing this second season, it had high ratings in Great Britain and the Christmas special episode, which we will see as the last episode this season, had the highest ratings for the night despite serious competition (British TV and holidays are a bit different from the U.S.).

Whatever weaknesses in the writing, the WWI time setting and the Spanish Flu make for great drama. And the cast which includes Elizabeth McGovern and Maggie Smith among other terrific, but lesser known in U.S., actors is great.

In one sense, it's simply a soap. But in reality it is great TV with a relatively chaste romantic storyline.

And the fact that it's great TV with high production values is why it received 11 Emmy nominations last year and won for

Outstanding Miniseries or Made for Television Movie,

Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Julian Fellowes),

Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Brian Percival),

Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie (David Katznelson),

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie (Maggie Smith), and

Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Susannah Buxton and Caroline McCall).

Oh, and it has been renewed by ITV for a third season.

"In a hundred years there'll be a whole new set of people."
"Always poke the bears. They sleep too much for their own good."

I missed first season but, did get caught up this last month while it was repeated on PBS.Already watched the the first installment of second season last night my wife and I both enjoyed it.It is no wonder it received many awards it is a feast for the eyes as well for the brain with the stunning scenery and the great cast.

We just started wayching this show a few days ago. Thanks to Amazon Prime, we're watching the first season via stream on our TV at no charge.

We love it so much that I went on Amazon and looked for season 2. The streaming is $2.99/episode for 9 episodes. That's bsically $27. SO I bought the BluRay DVDs for $24.99. As a bonus, Amazon gave us access to season 2 via streaming. SO do I return the BluRays after streaming? Ethically I shouldn't...maybe I'll just start lending it out.

It's great to see a show that relies on good plot, good writing, and good acting. No special effects, although most peoples teeth (especially in England) are too good.

I am putting a copy of this post here because those of you who watch "Downton" will have a chance to watch something you might like next Saturday and Sunday even though it's on ABC :

The thread subject show should have been a PBS Masterpiece series presented over two Sunday nights. ABC adds nothing to the credibility of the production, adds advertising, and scheduled it in a really goofy way.

This is not, I repeat not a Hollywood production. It is an IFC production written by Julian Fellowes, the creator and writer of "Downton Abbey." It has more in common with "Upstairs, Downstairs" than James Cameron’s Hollywood version of the story.

“They talk about the perfect storm now but this is the perfect disaster. This one ship holds every element of a self-confident society that was headed for a smash-up (in the First World War, two years later).”

Though each episode will include all the characters in every episode, each episode will give us the view from a different economic class. At the beginning of each episode the characters have no idea of the fate that awaits them and at the end of each episode the ship will start sinking.

The creator and producer of this version of the story, Nigel Stafford-Clark, explains:

“We were the most powerful nation on earth, we had been for about 50 years by that point, there will probably never be a nation as unchallenged as we were, and we saw no reason why that shouldn’t continue for ever.

“But we were sailing towards the First World War as obliviously as the Titanic was sailing towards its iceberg. It just felt like it was a real chance to do a portrait of a whole society at a particular moment, just before it vanished forever....

“You’ve got the whole class system, which at that point was the bedrock of Britain’s stability, literally encased in steel. It’s the perfect setting.”

This isn't two star-crossed lovers standing on the prow of a ship while Celine Dion sings.

"In a hundred years there'll be a whole new set of people."
"Always poke the bears. They sleep too much for their own good."

I've already seen the entire season 3 as it aired on ITV. Great show. I won't spoil it by telling you what happens. You can do that yourself using your favorite search engine.

Can you link where you went to see season 3?

Also, Phrelin,Last season it was shown twice on Sunday night, I follow the good wife at nine, then wait till 1:00 AM to watch "Downton". What happened? Is it just my local pbs? There was only one showing on Sunday [ 13th] and I missed it! What the h**l?

Also, Phrelin,Last season it was shown twice on Sunday night, I follow the good wife at nine, then wait till 1:00 AM to watch "Downton". What happened? Is it just my local pbs? There was only one showing on Sunday [ 13th] and I missed it! What the h**l?

No way to record. I've got a 222k.

Can't help you. KQED here in the Bay Area DMA runs it a second time in the middle of the night, but only once during prime time.

"In a hundred years there'll be a whole new set of people."
"Always poke the bears. They sleep too much for their own good."

I never considered watching DA in the past, I feared it would have been boring. Then I read the record breaking viewership for the start of season 3 and became intrigued. So I watched seasons 1 and 2 via Amazon Prime and became hooked and now getting caught up using Comcast On demand for season 3.

This series is ruthless with all the backstabbing and the friendship that O'Brien and Thomas once had is coming hopefully to an epic showdown

S3 has painted itself into quite the corner at this point in S3. Without spilling any spoilers, let's just say it's become such a downer it's bordering on depressing. And they've run out of sexual tension, attractive young things, and all the mating dance juice that fuels a Jane Austen novel, and what fueled the superb S1 & S2 of DA.

The writing better get better and juicier fast, because this is rapidly turning into nothing but an extended petty bitchfest between boring characters.

It's still stunningly gorgeous, it's still has good acting, and it still holds great promise. But the author currently seems adrift without a paddle.